Columns

As I sit here in my office preparing to write November’s column, it is Oct. 31—Halloween. Not only is it the last day of October, but, more importantly, it is the first day of November. I was pondering this weekend, all the things that I will be doing with my family over the next month.

Over the last 50 years, usually around the time fall colors are in full bloom, state and federal officials dedicate a week to highlight all of the products our forests provide.

Kentucky, of course, has been blessed more than most states. Trees cover nearly half of our 25 million acres, and we are among the nation’s leaders – and first in the South – when it comes to hardwood production.

Over the last 50 years, usually around the time fall colors are in full bloom, state and federal officials dedicate a week to highlight all of the products our forests provide.

Kentucky, of course, has been blessed more than most states. Trees cover nearly half of our 25 million acres, and we are among the nation’s leaders – and first in the South – when it comes to hardwood production.

As people age, they can lose a great deal of strength and muscle mass. This can affect their day to day functioning. Older adults who are losing muscle and are inactive have an increased risk of disability, falls and diseases, such as diabetes.

What are some benefits of strength training? Strength training has many health and fitness benefits, including the following:

Each September, domestic violence-prevention programs across the country take part in a one-day census to illustrate what they and the victims they serve face at any given moment.

The numbers are sobering. In 2015, the most recent year available, 40,000 people nationwide sought shelter during that 24-hour period and another 31,500 received non-residential assistance in such areas as the courts, childcare and transportation.

One of the best things about Kentucky is that it remains one of the safest places in which to live.

According to the website 24/7 Wall St., we have the sixth-lowest violent-crime rate among the states, while several south of us rank among the top 10 highest. Tennessee’s rate, for example, is nearly three times the size of ours.

If you walk down the aisles of any department store, you’ll notice during October that shelves are flooded with all kinds of pink merchandise. It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The hope is that seeing all things pink will “make you aware” of the disease — by spurring you to research early detection or contribute financially to cancer research.

Not long after the start of each school year, Kentucky begins getting report cards on the overall progress our students are making. These annual updates give the public the chance to learn if we are still heading in the right direction academically.